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French-Moroccan Karim Bouamrane Eyed for Prime Minister Role

Karim Bouamrane delivering a speech at the opening of “Socrates Street” in the Olympic Village, March 2024 (Getty)
Karim Bouamrane delivering a speech at the opening of “Socrates Street” in the Olympic Village, March 2024 (Getty)
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French-Moroccan Karim Bouamrane Eyed for Prime Minister Role

Karim Bouamrane delivering a speech at the opening of “Socrates Street” in the Olympic Village, March 2024 (Getty)
Karim Bouamrane delivering a speech at the opening of “Socrates Street” in the Olympic Village, March 2024 (Getty)

If French President Emmanuel Macron chooses Karim Bouamrane, born to Moroccan parents, to form the new government, he will follow a precedent of foreign-born politicians reaching high positions in France.
Former President Nicolas Sarkozy had Hungarian heritage, and former Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who served under President François Hollande, was of Spanish origin from Catalonia.
Outgoing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal’s grandfather was born in Tunisia. Among Moroccans, Rachida Dati and Najat Vallaud-Belkacem have also held significant positions, such as Minister of Culture and Minister of Education, respectively.
The potential appointment of a Maghreb-born politician reflects a significant change in French politics, especially given the recent strong showing of the far-right in elections. Macron is expected to announce the new Prime Minister after consulting with parliamentary leaders on Friday and Monday.
The Élysée Palace has not set a deadline for this decision, emphasizing that Macron wants a thorough and respectful consultation to ensure the new Prime Minister can build a stable majority. Macron aims to honor the Constitution and voters’ choices in this selection.
Macron has not yet confirmed whether Karim Bouamrane will be appointed as the new Prime Minister.
Bouamrane is a serious candidate, but others are also being considered. Macron might also choose an unexpected candidate.
Bouamrane’s profile has risen recently due to the parliamentary election results announced on July 7, which failed to produce a clear majority. This has delayed the appointment of a new Prime Minister.
It is noteworthy that Attal resigned on August 16, but his government is still in place.
Bouamrane, once relatively unknown, has gained significant media attention both in France and internationally. Major outlets like Der Spiegel, The New York Times, and El País have covered him.
The French media is keen to see how Macron addresses the delay in forming a new government, especially as the focus shifts from the successful Olympics to urgent political, economic, and social issues.

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Iran to Launch 'Advanced Centrifuges' in Response to IAEA Censure

Western countries successfully moved a resolution at the IAEA to censure Iran over its nuclear program - AFP
Western countries successfully moved a resolution at the IAEA to censure Iran over its nuclear program - AFP
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Iran to Launch 'Advanced Centrifuges' in Response to IAEA Censure

Western countries successfully moved a resolution at the IAEA to censure Iran over its nuclear program - AFP
Western countries successfully moved a resolution at the IAEA to censure Iran over its nuclear program - AFP

Iran said Friday it would launch a series of "new and advanced" centrifuges in response to a resolution adopted by the UN nuclear watchdog that censures Tehran for what the agency called lack of cooperation.

The censure motion brought by Britain, France, Germany, and the United States at the 35-nation board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) follows a similar one in June.

It came as tensions run high over Iran's atomic program, with critics fearing that Tehran is attempting to develop a nuclear weapon -- a claim the Islamic Republic has repeatedly denied.

The resolution -- which China, Russia and Burkina Faso voted against -- carried with 19 votes in favor, 12 abstentions and Venezuela not participating, two diplomats told AFP.

"The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran issued an order to take effective measures, including launching a significant series of new and advanced centrifuges of various types," a joint statement by the organization and Iran's foreign ministry said.

Centrifuges are the machines that enrich uranium transformed into gas by rotating it at very high speed, increasing the proportion of fissile isotope material (U-235).

"At the same time, technical and safeguards cooperation with the IAEA will continue, as in the past" and within the framework of agreements made by Iran, the joint Iranian statement added.

Behrouz Kamalvandi, Iran's atomic energy organization spokesman, on Friday said the new measures are mostly related to uranium enrichment.

"We will substantially increase the enrichment capacity with the utilisation of different types of advanced machines," he told state TV.

Iran's retaliatory measures "are reversible if this (Western) hostile action is withdrawn or negotiations are opened," Tehran-based political analyst Hadi Mohammadi told AFP.

- 'Legal obligations' -

The confidential resolution seen by AFP says it is "essential and urgent" for Iran to "act to fulfil its legal obligations" under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) ratified in 1970.

The text also calls on Tehran to provide "technically credible explanations" for the presence of uranium particles found at two undeclared locations in Iran.

In addition, Western powers are asking for a "comprehensive report" to be issued by the IAEA on Iran's nuclear efforts "at the latest" by spring 2025.

The resolution comes after the IAEA's head Rafael Grossi returned from a trip to Tehran last week, where he appeared to have made headway.

During the visit, Iran agreed to an IAEA demand to cap its sensitive stock of near weapons-grade uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity.

- 'Cycle of provocation' -

"Iran did not start the cycle of provocation -- the Western side could, without passing a resolution... create the atmosphere for negotiations if it really was after talks," the analyst Mohammadi said.

In 2015, Iran and world powers reached an agreement that saw the easing of international sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.

But the United States unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018 under then-president Donald Trump and reimposed biting economic sanctions, which prompted Iran to begin rolling back on its own commitments.

On Thursday, Iran's deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs Kazem Gharibabadi warned of Iran's potential next step.

"Iran had announced in an official letter to European countries that it would withdraw from the NPT if the snapback mechanism was activated, and the Security Council sanctions were reinstated," Gharibabadi said in a late-night interview with state TV.

The 2015 deal contains a "snapback" mechanism that can be triggered in case of "significant non-performance" of commitments by Iran.

This would allow many sanctions to be reimposed.

Tehran has since 2021 decreased its cooperation with the agency by deactivating surveillance devices monitoring the nuclear program and barring UN inspectors.

At the same time, it has ramped up its nuclear activities, including by increasing its stockpiles of enriched uranium and the level of enrichment to 60 percent.

That level is close, according to the IAEA, to the 90 percent-plus threshold required for a nuclear warhead and substantially higher than the 3.67 percent limit it agreed to in 2015.